Bean’s Quest App Review – A Cutesy, Uber-Fun Platformer

Trust me, I’m pretty happy that I wasn’t faced with a game featuring a caricature of Mr. Bean’s enlarged head when I first checked out onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/itunes.apple.com/us/app/beans-quest/id449069244?mt=8');" target="_blank" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beans-quest/id449069244?mt=8">Bean’s Quest on the app store. I have never been so satisfied, as the application is instead an uber-cutesy platformer any fan is sure to love!

You’ll first find out that the game’s forte is its artwork, unquestionably. At first glance, the striking colors and overall wonderfully done visuals are the first stand-out point of many that the game slickly boasts: clean, polished pixel artwork evidently done with care and by someone who has a hand for such graphics. They truly look Ah-mazing!

Then, comes the gameplay. Bean’s Quest takes the gameplay of similar games currently on the app store, and after applying the above artistic theme, makes it the most unique and fulfilling experience a platformer could ever be accompanied with. Your main object is to guide the [Mexican Jumping] Bean get to the end of each cleverly-designed level in the least amount of bounces; if it makes more sense, the bean is constantly bouncing, and you’re faced with the task of timing his movements so that his jumps coincide properly to guide him across the levels’ platforms and reach the end. All of this while watching out for fatal enemies and navigating past the many different types of platforms.

There are springs, turning platforms, tunnels and more that make up the levels along with your normal platforms. There are also jewels to be collected along the way, which add more of a challenge if you’re looking to beat the level perfectly./> href="http://www.iphonealley.com/application_reviews/beans-quest-app-review-a-cutesy-uber-fun-platformer/attachment/beans-quest-screen" rel="attachment wp-att-20506">src="http://www.iphonealley.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/beans-quest-screen-e1311125714159.png" alt="" title="bean's quest screen" width="640" height="426" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-20506" />/> Just like a three-star rating system, which are commonly found in games, there’s a sort of rating system for each level. Instead of stars, though, you’ll have to best other limits to receive a badge on that level. There are three things to be achieved, which adds replay value to the gameplay considering the challenges are difficult enough to have you replaying the level multiple times over: completing the levels at or under a specific number of bounces, collecting all of the jewels in the level, and collecting the axolotl of each level (in other words, an animal usually placed at a location where you have you go out of your way to collect).

Usually, developers that attempt to create new, innovative control schemes for their games get some pretty serious hate from buyers who “don’t like the control scheme”, due to the fact that these new ways to play are difficult to get accustomed to. In this case, the developers didn’t use a traditional d-pad, but instead two arrows on the side of the screen to control the [Mexican Jumping] Bean’s left/right movement. This prevents confusion and clunkiness.

The only thing lacking in Bean’s Quest is the amount of content it has. Sure it’s got a high replay value, some sweet graphics and a rocking soundtrack, but the developers were obviously in a hurry in releasing it. There are currently only 8 levels included with the game, for $2.99 whereas other platformers on the platform are sporting 50+ levels for only a buck. The good news is, that there are already new worlds in the works.

Regardless of the lack of levels, the experience of everything else in itself is easily worth your 3 bucks. So if you’re looking for a great game that will undoubtedly tickle your gaming fancy, check out onclick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/itunes.apple.com/us/app/beans-quest/id449069244?mt=8');" target="_blank" href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beans-quest/id449069244?mt=8">Bean’s Quest. Angry Birds, please step down off of the throne, because we’ve got another king of iOS, hands-down (not saying that AB is the best game on the platform, using it for reference).

See the awesomeness in action:/> src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/25751589?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" width="600" height="400" frameborder="0">

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